بررسي آگاهي و نگرش در زمينه برخورد با فوريت هاي پزشكي در ميان دندانپزشكان عمومي زاهدان- ايران

Assessment of Knowledge and Attitude of General Dental Practitioners about Medical Emergencies in Zahedan - Iran

Introduction: Medical emergencies could occur in the practice of dentistry. A dentist must be prepared to assist in recognition and management of any potential emergency situation. The purpose of this study was to determine the prevalence of medical emergencies in the dental offices and to evaluate ʹKnowledgeʹ and ʹAttitudeʹ of dentists upon encountering these situations. Materials & Methods: This descriptive, cross-sectional study was performed on 64 general dental practitioners in 2005 using a questionnaire. The questionnaire had been prepared based on valid references. The data were analysed & compared using Pearson con-elation test through SPSS software. Results: Results showed 67.7% of the study group were men and 32.3% were women. The mean age of the study group and duration after graduation time were 31.6 and 4.9 years respectively. 96.7% of the dentists filled out the questionnaire. 61% of the dentists achieved positive scores in attitude and 96.8% got moderate to good scores in knowledge. There was no significant relationship between age and duration after graduation time, and knowledge (r=0.08, P=0.53). The most frequently reported emergency was orthostatic hypotension. Conclusion: Medical emergencies occur in dental offices frequently. There is a perceived need for further related practical training among dental practitioners.